TechInsights Teardown: Backbone One PlayStation Edition

The handheld game controller market is a popular sector of the gaming market with innovations continuing to be made as technology shifts.

The Nintendo Switch made some interesting decisions with a split controller that could place games in between a pair of controllers. This was in stark contrast to other handheld gaming devices like the vintage Gameboy, which was an intact device where games were inserted or the PlayStation PSP or PlayStation Vita.

The Backbone One PlayStation Edition takes its cue from the Nintendo Switch with controllers on either side but uses an iPhone or other compatible smartphone as the gaming platform. Then users can log into the PlayStation Network to play online games. It can also be connected to Xbox games and Steam.

The following is a partial deep dive into the gaming system conducted by TechInsights.

Summary

• Lightning analog SoC
• 4MB serial flash memory

Released: July 2022

Price: $99.99

Availability: Worldwide

Target market: Consumer/gaming

The main board of the Backbone One. Source: TechInsights

Main board

The main board contains the peripheral electronic components needed for the controller and operation on the smartphone. The main board includes a hall effect sensor and 4MB of serial flash memory from GigaDevice.

(Learn more about memory chips on Globalspec.com)

The processor board of Backbone One includes Skyworks’ Lightning analog SoC and other electronic components. Source: TechInsights

Processor board

The processor board is the main brains of the operation of the Backbone One PlayStation Edition. The electronic components include:

• NXP Semiconductors’ display port multiplexor
• Skyworks’ lighting analog system-on-chip
• AWINIC’s USB switch with over voltage protection
• Authentication IC

(Learn more about analog ICs on Globalspec.com)

The secondary board of the Backbone One PlayStation Edition. Source: TechInsights

Secondary board

The secondary board contains additional functions for the Backbone One gaming system. It contains electronic components such as a hall effect sensor.

(Learn more about sensor chips on Globalspec.com)

Several of the electronic components found inside the Backbone One PlayStation Edition. Source: TechInsights

Major components

• $2.56 — Lightning analog SoC — Skyworks (Qty:1)
• $0.70 — Left internal enclosure (Qty:1)
• $0.65 — Wire cable with lightning and LIF (Qty:1)
• $0.65 — Wire cable with lightning and LIF (Qty:1)
• $0.63 — Internal cover (Qty:1)
• $0.60 — Gear wheel extension cover (Qty:1)
• $0.60 — Gear wheel extension cover (Qty:1)
• $0.50 — Lighting connector (Qty:1)
• $0.49 — Ribbon cable (Qty:1)